August 24, 2016
If you are divorcing or recently divorced, taxes may be the last thing on your mind. However, these events can have a big impact on your wallet. Alimony and a name or address change are just a few items you may need to consider. Here are some key tax tips to keep in mind:
As always, if you need assistance with this or any other tax issues, please feel free to contact us here at Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288.
Late spring and early summer are popular times for weddings. Whatever the season, a change in your marital status can affect your taxes. Here are several tips from the IRS for newlyweds.
For more information about these topics, contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288.
If you were married or divorced and changed your name last year, be sure to notify the Social Security Administration before you file your taxes with the IRS. If the name on your tax return doesn’t match SSA records, the IRS will flag it as an error and that may delay your refund.
Here are five tips for a person whose name has changed. They also apply if your dependent’s name has changed.
1. If you have married and you’re using your new spouse’s last name or you’ve hyphenated your last name, notify the SSA. That way, the IRS computers can match your new name with your Social Security number.
2. If you were divorced and are now using your former last name, notify the SSA of your name change.
3. Letting the SSA know about a name change is easy. File Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, at your local SSA office or by mail with proof of your legal name change.
4. You can get Form SS-5 on the SSA’s website at www.ssa.gov, by calling 800-772-1213 or at local SSA offices. Your new card will have the same number as your former card but will show your new name.
5. If you adopted your new spouse’s children and their names changed, you’ll need to update their names with SSA too. For adopted children without SSNs, the parents can apply for an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number by filing Form W-7A, Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions, with the IRS. The ATIN is a temporary number used in place of an SSN on the tax return. Form W-7A is available on the IRS.gov website or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
You may contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288 if you need assistance with a name change at the IRS or state taxing authorities.
If you changed your name after a recent marriage or divorce, the IRS reminds you to take the necessary steps to ensure the name on your tax return matches the name registered with the Social Security Administration. A mismatch between the name shown on your tax return and the SSA records can cause problems in the processing of your return and may even delay your refund.
Here are five tips from the IRS for recently married or divorced taxpayers who have a name change.
1. If you took your spouse’s last name — or if you hyphenated your last names, you may run into complications if you don’t notify the SSA. When newlyweds file a tax return using their new last names, IRS computers can’t match the new name with their Social Security number.
2. If you recently divorced and changed back to your previous last name, you’ll also need to notify the SSA of this name change.
3. Informing the SSA of a name change is easy. Simply file a Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, at your local SSA office or by mail and provide a recently issued document as proof of your legal name change.
4. Form SS-5 is available on SSA’s website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/, by calling 800-772-1213 or at local offices. Your new card will have the same number as your previous card, but will show your new name.
5. If you adopted your spouse’s children after getting married and their names changed, you’ll need to update their names with SSA too. For adopted children without SSNs, the parents can apply for an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number – or ATIN – by filing Form W-7A, Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions with the IRS. The ATIN is a temporary number used in place of an SSN on the tax return. Form W-7A is available on the IRS.gov website or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
Please click here to check out a previous post for a similar discussion of this issue and feel free to call us at 803 732-4288 if we can assist you with this or any other tax issue.
Don’t be too quick to answer.
Many people try to file tax returns using the wrong name. This happens frequently in cases of marriage or divorce when a name has been recently changed. If you try to electronically file your return with the wrong name your return is likely to be rejected by the IRS, thereby delaying your refund until your return can be resubmitted. If you file a paper return by mail the delay from using the wrong name most probably will be much longer.
Although you may be legally married or divorced your name doesn’t change unless you submit the proper documents to the Social Security Administration. For tax filing purposes your name is the name printed on the most recent social security card issued to you. So if your name has changed (or you would like it to be changed) you should contact the Social Security Administration so that you will be ready to file your tax return this tax season.
If you can’t wait until your social security card can be reissued simply file your return with your name as it is currently listed on your social security card. The last name may not match the name of your spouse but at least your tax return will be finished and you can get your hands on that tax refund much sooner so you can start stimulating the economy. The choice is yours.
Take a look at this video for further details.